Closure having pressure-activated release mechanism



Nov. 0. 1965 F. x. WOJCIECHOWSKI ETAL 3,220,600

CLOSURE HAVING PRESSURE-ACTIVATED RELEASE MECHANISM Filed Jan. 8, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FRANGS X. WOJUECHOWSK HARALD E. KARLSON INVENTORS BY 6 QM ATTORNEY Nov. 30, 1965 F. x. WOJCIECHOWSKI ETAL 3,220,600

CLOSURE HAVING PRESSURE-ACTIVATED RELEASE MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 8. 1963 FRANUS-X. WOJCIECHOWSK\ HARALD E KARLSON INVENTORS ATTORNEY United States Patent ()1" 3,220,600 CLOSURE HAVING PRESSURE-ACTIVATED RELEASE MECHANISM Francis X. Wojciecliowski, Garden Grove, and Harald E. Karlson, Santa Monica, Calif., assignors to Hoffman Electronics Corporation, a corporation of California Filed Jan. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 250,039 3 Claims. (Cl. 220-60) The present invention relates generally to release mechanisms; and it relates more particularly to an improved release mechanism which has particular, although not exclusive, utility in a radiosonic buoy assembly.

The improved release mechanism of the invention serves to release automatically a hydrophone from the casing of the buoy, after the casing strikes the water upon being parachuted from a launching aircraft.

Radiosonic buoys find particular utility in war time in the detection of enemy underwater craft. However, they find general utility in war and peace in the detection of many types of underwater disturbances. These buoys are generally launched from aircraft, and they are parachuted into the sea or other body of water.

The usual prior art radiosonic buoy assembly includes a radio transmitter, and it also includes a hydrophone connected to the transmitter by an extended length of cable. At least a portion of the transmitting equipment, the hydrophone and the cable are all contained within a casing, and the casing is generally equipped with a release mechanism.

The above-mentioned release mechanism serves to release the hydrophone upon impact of the casing with the surface of the body of water into which it is launched. This release of the hydrophone permits it to drop to a desired depth below the surface; while the casing serves as a buoy and maintains the transmitting equipment at the surface in position to transmit electrical signals received from the hydrophone.

The hydrophone is the underwater equivalent of a microphone. It receives underwater sound waves and converts them to equivalent electrical signals. These electrical signals are applied to the transmitter to be transmitted to a central receiving station.

As mentioned above, the present invention is concerned with an improved release mechanism which finds particular utility in radiosonic buoy assemblies of the type described. However, it will become apparent as the description proceeds that the release mechanism of the invention finds general utility whenever it is desired to separate two parts of an assembly, or to deploy a sub-assembly from an assembly, upon impact of the assembly with a fiuid, such as the surface of a body of Water.

The prior art release mechanisms of the general type under consideration are, for the most part, unduly complicated and expensive. These prior art mechanisms, for example, generally require a multiplicity of moving parts, such as latches, levers, springs, and the like; and they also require relatively complex actuating mechanisms.

In addition, the prior art release mechanisms are often susceptible to unwanted operation as the result of internal shock upon the accidental dropping of the assembly. Additional relatively complex mechanisms are often incorporated into the prior art mechanisms to prevent such unwanted operation thereof.

The improved release mechanism of the present invention is eminently simple in that it involves merely a discshaped resilient closure member having a dome-like configuration. The closure member of the release mechanism responds to external fluid pressure across its outer surface, and it operates in a manner to be described to snap from a normal condition to an inwardly-flexed condition.

3,220,600 Patented Nov. 30, 1965 'ice The disc-shaped closure member referred to in the preceding paragraph is intended to enclose an open end of a tubular casing member, in the particular embodiment of the invention to be described. The casing has a peripheral groove or shoulder formed in its inner surface adjacent the open end, and the peripheral portion of the closure member extends into the groove. This permits the closure member to be normally supported by the casing in position to enclose its open end. Then, when the closure member is snapped to its inwardly-flexed c0ndi tion, its peripheral portion is drawn in and away from the groove in the casing to release the closure member from the casing.

An object of the invention, therefore, is to provide an improved and eminently simple release mechanism which responds toexternal fluid pressure to effectuate a release of a closure member from an associated casing.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide such an improved release mechanism which is simple and inexpensive in its construction, in that it requires no springs, levers, latches, or other extraneous parts.

A further object is to provide such an improved mechanism which exhibits an immunity to shocks and the like, and which is operable only upon the application of a pressure across the external surface of its operating component.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved combination of a casing and a releasable closure member; the closure member being configured to engage the casing in a manner to be described, so that the application of an external pressure to the closure member causes it to be released from the casing.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 illustrates the release mechanism of the invention as incorporated in a usual radiosonic buoy assembly, the assembly being shown as being parachuted so that it may be launched into a body of water;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded view of the various components making up the assembly of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURES 3A, 3B and 3C are sectional functional views, illustrating the manner in which the release mechanism of the invention operates upon impact of the assembly with the surface of the body of water into which it is launched.

The particular assembly illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 includes a tubular casing 10. The tubular casing has an open lower end which is enclosed by a disc-shaped, resilient, releasable closure plate or member 12. The illustrated configuration of the releasable plate 12, and the particularly illustrated engagement of the plate with the casing 10, are in accordance with the practice and teaching of the present invention, in one of its aspects.

The casing 10 includes a usual hydrophone 14, and it may also include an appropriate power source for an associated transmitter. The transmitter itself is designated 16. Appropriate cable connections may be made between the power supply in the casing 10 and the transmitter 16. Also, the hydrophone 14 is coupled to the transmitter by an extended length of cable 18, which is normally coiled within the casing 10.

As mentioned above, the illustrated radiosonic buoy assembly may be launched from an aircraft, and it is parachuted by a parachute 22 down into a body of water in the manner shown in FIGURE 1. Upon impact with the water, the releasable plate 12 is automatically released from the casing 10, in a manner to be described, and the hydrophone 14 is thereby permitted to drop through the open lower end of the casing 10, down to a desired depth under the water. The casing itself functions as a floating 3 buoy to support the transmitter 16 on the surface of the water, in a manner well understood in the radiosonic buoy art.

As best shown in FIGURES 3A, 3B and 3C, the resilient, releasable disc-shaped plate 12 is supported in a peripheral groove 28. The groove 28 extends around the inner surface of the tubular casing adjacent the open lower end of the casing. When the resilient, releasable plate 12 is normally held on the casing 10, its peripheral edge extends into the groove 28, as best shown in FIG- URE 3A. The peripheral edge of the plate 12 may be serrated, as shown, to form a plurality of peripheral fingers 12a around its circumference. The fingers 12a extend into the groove 28 to support the releasable closure plate 12 on the casing 10.

The releasable closure plate 12 is formed of a resilient metal, for example, and it has a dome-like configuration. That is, in the illustrated embodiment, the inner surface of the releasable closure plate 12 has a dish-shaped configuration, as best shown in FIGURE 3A.

Upon impact with a body of water, such as shown in FIGURE 3B, the resulting fluid pressure across the external surface of the closure plate 12 causes the plate to snap inwardly, as shown, so as to assume an inwardly flexed, bowed configuration.

A disc-shaped back-up plate 30 is provided between the hydrophone and the releasable plate 12. The back-up plate has an annular portion 30a which engages the inner surface of the releasable closure plate 12. This backup plate 30 supports the hydrophone against shock on a sponge rubber portion 30b, and it also provides a space between the inner surface of the closure plate 12 and the end of the hydrophone 14. This space permits the closure plate 12 to be unimpeded when it is snapped into its inwardly bowed configuration, as shown in FIGURE 3B, for release thereof from the casing 10.

When the closure plate 12 is snapped to its inwardly bowed configuration of FIGURE 3B, the peripheral fingers 12a are Withdrawn from the groove 28, and the closure plate assumes the configuration shown in FIG- URES 3B and 3C. In the latter configuration of the closure plate, its fingers 12a no longer engage the peripheral groove 28, in the casing 10, and it is thereby freed from the casing. This release of the plate 12 permits the back-up plate 30 and the hydrophone 14 to drop out of the open lower end of the casing.

It is apparent from the outset that the release mechanism of the present invention, as described above, is eminently simple in that it involves only a releasable closure plate. In addition, the release mechanism of the invention is positive and fool-proof in its operation. That is, the release mechanism has no tendency to respond to internal shocks, for example, to the accidental dropping of the unit.

To release the mechanism of the invention, it is necessary for an external pressure to be exerted against the outer surface of the plate 12. As best shown in FIG- URE 3A, for example, the plate 12 may be positioned to be normally recessed within the end of the casing 10, so that the likelihood of the inadvertent release of the mechanism is further reduced.

While a particular embodiment of the invention is shown and described, modifications may be made, and it is intended in the following claims to cover such modifications which fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for releasing an object from the interior of an air-dropped container upon contact of said container with a body of water comprising:

a tubular casing having a peripheral groove formed in the inner surface adjacent one end thereof, said casing forming part of said container and housing said object; and

a resilient, disc-shaped closure member having a peripheral portion extending into and restrained against movement by said groove when said closure member is in a first configuration and being withdrawn from said groove when said closure member is flexed to a second configuration;

a back-up plate interposed between said object and said closure member, said back-up plate having an annular portion bearing against the portion of said closure member adjacent said peripheral portion to provide a free space for said closure member to assume its second configuration;

the weight of said object bearing continuously against said closure member and said back-up plate whereby contact with a body of water will cause said closure member to flex from said first to said second configuration to cause said peripheral portion to be withdrawn from said groove and the weight of said object will cause said closure member and said back-up plate to be ejected from said casing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a body of shock absorbing material is interposed between said back-up plate and said object.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said casing is provided with a parachute.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,419,162 4/1947 Pope 99 2,765,097 10/1956 Dobson et al. 220-62 2,825,803 3/1958 Newbrough 9-9 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. WESLEY S, COLE, Supervisory Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR RELEASING AN OBJECT FROM THE INTERIOR OF AN AIR-DROPPED CONTAINER UPON CONTACT OF SAID CONTAINER WITH A BODY OF WATER COMPRISING: A TUBULAR CASING HAVING A PERIPHERAL GROOVE FORMED IN THE INNER SURFACE ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF, SAID CASING FORMING PART OF SAID CONTAINER AND HOUSING SAID OBJECT; AND A RESILIENT, DISC-SHAPED CLOSURE MEMBER HAVING A PERIPHERAL PORTION EXTENDING INTO AND RESTRAINED AGAINST MOVEMENT BY SAID GROOVE WHEN SAID CLOSURE MEMBER IS IN A FIRST CONFIGURATION AND BEING WITHDRAWN FROM SAID GROOVE WHEN SAID CLOSURE MEMBER IS FLEXED TO A SECOND CONFIGURATION; A BACK-UP PLATE INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID OBJECT AND SAID CLOSURE MEMBER, SAID BACK-UP PLATE HAVING AN ANNULAR PORTION BEARING AGAINS THE PORTION OF SAID CLOSURE MEMBER ADJACENT SAID PERIPHERAL PORTION TO PROVIDE A FREE SPACE FOR SAID CLOSURE MEMBER TO ASSUME ITS SECOND CONFIGURATION; THE WEIGHT OF SAID OBJECT BEARING CONTINUOUSLY AGAINST SAID CLOSURE MEMBER AND SAID BACK-UP PLATE WHEREBY CONTACT WITH A BODY OF WATER WILL CAUSE SAID CLOSURE MEMBER TO FLEX FROM SAID FIRST TO SAID SECOND CONFIGURATION TO CAUSE SAID PERIPHERAL PORTION TO BE WITHDRAWN FROM SAID GROOVE AND THE WEIGHT OF SAID OBJECT WILL CAUSE SAID CLOSURE MEMBER AND SAID BACK-UP PLATE TO BE EJECTED FROM SAID CASING. 